Officials at the Ministry of Culture said the points in the proposed draft will be finalized through a diplomatic channel soon. "We will revise the draft agreement and finalize it through a diplomatic channel," said Mod Raj Dotel, a secretary at the ministry. [break]
Nepal had reached a Cultural Agreement with China previously in 1997. That agreement is deemed outdated by both the countries as nothing concrete has been done so far to boost cultural ties between the two countries.
Among other things, the proposed agreement aims at boosting cultural exchanges, conducting researches on cultures of the two countries and promoting understanding among people about each other´s cultures. Chinese Culture Minister Cai pledged full-fledged support for the promotion and development of Nepali culture.
The two countries have also agreed to ink a separate Memorandum of Understanding to check illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts from both the countries, according to Secretary Dotel. Nepal and China are parties to the UN Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, 1970.
Cai will fly to Lumbini on Monday before heading home Tuesday.
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